The NHL needs to find ways to make the game more exciting and an overall better product. Here's a few of my ideas.

1. Get rid of that goalie trapezoid. I like watching Marty Brodeur and other goalies who can stickhandle.

2. More penalty shots on plays that are breakaway or near-breakaway plays. If Jussi Jokinen steals the puck at his own blue line and somebody hooks him at the red line. Give him a penalty shot. Don't make him get all the way to the opposing blue line to make it a shot.

3. If you commit a penalty in the last 2 minutes of regulation or overtime, the game continues until the penalty time runs out. Give the team their full two minutes of PP time. I think that this should apply only if the penalized team is either winning or the game is tied. If you were losing, you shouldn't be able to just continuously commit penalties to attempt to make the game last longer till you get a short-handed goal (which could take forever).

4. If a goalie commits a penalty, make him serve it. If Steve Mason slashes somebody and the ref gives him a minor, take Mason off the ice for 2 minutes. Allow the Jackets to bring in Mathieu Garon, and take a skater off the ice. When the penalty time runs out, the skater can come out and finish the play till the whistle. Then at the whistle, Mason can come back into the game.

5. Don't allow the short-handed team to ice the puck. This would increase power-play goals and decrease all the obstruction because teams will be more afraid of being short-handed.

I may think of more. Interested what you guys think about what I proposed and any ideas that you may have.

"And three of the better guys in franchise history, Daugherty, Z and now Kyrie could get hurt in a rubber room full of cotton balls." - Leadpipe

idoctribefan wrote:1. Get rid of that goalie trapezoid. I like watching Marty Brodeur and other goalies who can stickhandle.

I like the trapezoid. It forces defensemen to have to play the puck and increases turnovers that lead to scoring chances.

2. More penalty shots on plays that are breakaway or near-breakaway plays. If Jussi Jokinen steals the puck at his own blue line and somebody hooks him at the red line. Give him a penalty shot. Don't make him get all the way to the opposing blue line to make it a shot.

Not completely sure about the NHL, but I know USA Hockey's rule is the red line. The problem with giving so many penalty shots is that it is a judgment call. First of all, a penalty shot is only to be awarded if the player is in the clear and is unable to get a shot off.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the penalty shot unless it's absolutely clear-cut and in the offensive zone. You have to give the defenseman the chance to make a play.

3. If you commit a penalty in the last 2 minutes of regulation or overtime, the game continues until the penalty time runs out. Give the team their full two minutes of PP time. I think that this should apply only if the penalized team is either winning or the game is tied. If you were losing, you shouldn't be able to just continuously commit penalties to attempt to make the game last longer till you get a short-handed goal (which could take forever).

You're better off getting a 4 on 3 once OT starts anyway. More open ice.

Teams do have to serve the full two minutes, it's just stopped by the small OT intermission. If a guy takes a penalty near the end of OT and it doesn't run out, he's ineligible for the shootout anyway.

Not to mention, you have to give the team a point for making it to overtime.

4. If a goalie commits a penalty, make him serve it. If Steve Mason slashes somebody and the ref gives him a minor, take Mason off the ice for 2 minutes. Allow the Jackets to bring in Mathieu Garon, and take a skater off the ice. When the penalty time runs out, the skater can come out and finish the play till the whistle. Then at the whistle, Mason can come back into the game.

Too much chance for injury for a cold goaltender coming in to the game. This would definitely not go over well.

5. Don't allow the short-handed team to ice the puck. This would increase power-play goals and decrease all the obstruction because teams will be more afraid of being short-handed.

I hate this one. You have to be able to clear the zone for line changes. Killing penalties is very very tiring. Again, injury concerns a plenty here. And they can't just throw the puck over the glass because that's a delay of game penalty.

My biggest rule change would be making regulation wins worth 3 points. That way, teams have more incentive to win in regulation rather than settle for a guaranteed one point in overtime.

Honestly, I don't see the game needing a big overhaul. Versus TV ratings are the highest they've been and the NHL is right there with the NBA in terms of ratings now. You may never please the casual fan, because all they want is change and more fights.

I guess my other rule change would be having two OTs. A 5-on-5 for 5 mins and then a 4-on-4 for 5 mins before going to a shootout. Shootouts are a terrible way to decide games. They don't place any effort on hard work or passing plays, just an individual's talent. You don't see dunk contests in the NBA for ties. It's a stupid experiment that should have ended already.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe

idoctribefan wrote:we'll have to agree to disagree on 1 and 2. I will cede to you and your hockey background/knowledge on 4 and 5.

anything you'd change in the NHL, Adam?

Well, like I said above, I'd give 3 points for a regulation win. I think that would solve a lot of the standings problems and give teams more incentive to play harder in regulation and push for that extra guaranteed 2 points.

Two rule changes that they instituted recently that I love is no line changes after icing and the faceoff is automatically in the offensive zone after a penalty is called. Huge fan of both of those.

I would remove the two minute penalty for instigating a fight. In today's NHL, guys don't fight for no reason. No reason to penalize a player for sticking up for his teammate or trying to spark his team.

If they're going to continue the shootout, I'd go 5 rounds instead of 3. If it's supposed to be for the fans and all exciting, most shootouts are over within 2-3 minutes.

I'm sure I can think of a couple more.

A God Damn dead man would understand that if a minor league bus in any city took a real sharp right turn, a Zack McCalister would likely fall out. - Lead Pipe